US President Donald Trump has once again floated the idea of annexing Canada, sparking a fresh diplomatic crisis between the two nations. His latest statement, made in the Oval Office on March 21, comes amid an intensifying trade war between Washington and Ottawa. Trump reiterated claims that the United States subsidizes Canada by hundreds of billions of dollars annually, portraying the northern neighbor as a financial burden that would be better integrated as the 51st state.

While Trump’s suggestion of absorbing Canada into the United States is not new, his repeated insistence on the idea is raising serious concerns. Speaking to reporters, the US president claimed that maintaining trade relations with Canada costs the US economy an alleged $200 billion a year. He further argued that the US does not need Canadian exports such as automobiles, lumber, and energy, downplaying the interdependence of the two economies.

“It costs us $200 billion a year in subsidy to keep Canada afloat,” Trump declared. “We could integrate their economy into ours and eliminate the waste.”

This statement follows a series of comments Trump has made over the years, including quips that Canada would be “better off as part of the US” and that “America should just buy Canada outright.” While many dismissed these remarks as political bluster, the current trade tensions between the two nations lend a more serious tone to Trump’s rhetoric.

Canada’s newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau last week, was quick to issue a sharp response to Trump’s assertions. Speaking after being sworn in, Carney categorically dismissed the idea of Canada ever becoming part of the United........

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